At New Springville depot, Santa drives a hybrid bus

Employees at New Springville’s Yukon Bus Depot pose in front of the "Santa Bus," which delivered toys to kids at Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Santa left his sleigh at home and instead hopped on a bus filled with toys yesterday on a special run to bring holiday spirit to kids at Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze.

As part of a tradition started more than 20 years ago, employees at New Springville’s Yukon Bus Depot collected money and toys for Kids Against Cancer. Organized by maintenance supervisor Ron Principe, the group distributed the toys to about 18 kids at SIUH’s pediatric unit, along with a check for $250,000 from Kids Against Cancer to the hospital.

The interior of the toy-filled hybrid bus was decorated by the employees and their spouses, and driven over to the hospital with Santa behind the wheel. St. Nick also dropped off a new Blu-Ray player for the pediatric playroom. Toys also went to kids at Richmond University Medical Center in West Brighton.

The goal was to cheer up the kids and “get a little smile on their face,” Principe said.